Cushion for doors of fire-resistant cabinets



E. O HNSTRAND.

CUSHION FOR DOORS OFFI RE RESISTANT CABINETS. APPLICATION FILED uumza, 1922.

1,436,853 Patented Nov. 21, 1922..

$120M? wzmwwww Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

lAl-Zttifififi PATENT FFHGE.

ENOOH OHNSTRAND, OF MOI-IA'WK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TO LIBRARY BUREAU, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NE'W JERSEY.

" CUSHION FOR DOORS OF FIRE-RESISTANT CABINETS.

Application filed January 28, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOOH OHNSTRAND,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of Mohawk, in the county of 5 Herkimer and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cushions for Doors of Fire-Resistant Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cushion for doors of fire resistant cabinets such as vaults, safes, filing cabinets, etc, the object being to provide yielding means for closing the space between the door and door-frame which is effective and durable for a long period of time. In the event of fire of long duration, access of heated air to the interior of a safe may have serious consequences, sometimes even resulting in the ignition and destruction of the contents of the safe.

So far as I am aware it has been the practice heretofore to use a relatively solid packing of compressed fire-proof material such as compressed asbestos fibre between the safe door and the door casing. This packing does not fully accommodate itself to irregularities in the meeting surfaces of the door and casing; and owing to its lack of elasticity it soon be comes permanently compressed by the impact and pressure of the door to such extent that it does not seal the space between the door and the casing.

According to the present invention means is provided for producing an air-tight seal between the door and door casing of fire resistant cabinets. The means may take the form of a compressible member or cushion of fireproof material. One form of cushion peculiarly adapted for the purpose is in the form of a cord composed of a tube of asbestos fabric filled with uncompressed asbestos fibre. This cushion is received in a groove about the opening closed by the cabinet door and in a position to be contracted and compressed by the door when closed. Suitable means including a clamping edge overhanging the groove retain the cushion securely in place.

' In order to illustrate the invention one concrete embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a safe with one of the doors partly cut away, to show the door cushion;

Serial No. 532,446.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 8 and 4 are respectively an elevational view and a sectional view on an enla-rged scale of the door cushion.

The embodiment of the invention is shown for the purpose of illustration in connection with a safe A provided with an angle iron frame B, doors C pivoted to the frame by hinges D, lock dial E and bolt operating handles F. The safe has inner and outer casings G and H respectively, the space between these casings being largely occupied by heat insulating material I. The doors C have the usual irregular form of jamb J to prevent flame from working into the safe 7 during a fire. Adjacent the door opening inner casing G on the safe overhangs to a slight extent the door j amb J as indicated at K in Fig. 2 forming a recess L between the extension K and the inner end of jamb J 7 substantially rectangular in cross section and open at the side facing the door. ,The extreme end of extension K is inturned at M to form a clamping end. Received in recess L in which it is made fast by clamping end M and also by adhesive material such as cement if desired is a door cushion N. This cushion is substantially circular in cross seotion as shown but may be of any desired shape and is preferably composed of uncompressed asbestos fiber O packed in an outer casing P which is here shown as composed of asbestos thread or cord woven or braided in the form of a tube. This cushion entirely surrounds the door opening in safe A and the exposed portion thereof projecting from the recess L is contacted and compressed by the edge of the inner casing G of doors C when the doors are closed.

The type of cushion herein shown is firm, somewhat compressible, very resilient, and will function for an indefinite period. It makes an absolutely air tight joint preventing all air leakage between the exterior and the interior of the safe. In practice it is found that when a safe door properly equipped with this cushion is closed, the compression can be felt and when the door is opened the vacuum can be felt also, in dicating that the cushion is functioning in a proper manner. While the cushion is here shown as applied in a position to be contracted by the inner face of the door, it is obvious that it could be suitably installed at other points in the casing of the safe along the door jamb or even upon the door itself. The position in which it is here shown, however, is preferred since the cushion is best protected from injury.

I claim:

1. A fire resistant cabinet having an opening, a closure for said opening, and a cushion for sealing the joint around the closure, the cushion comprising a loose resilient mass of fibrous fireproof material and means for confining the mass.

2. A fire resistant cabinet having an open ing, a closure for said opening, and a cushion for sealing the joint around the closure, the cushion comprising a fireproof cord of fibrous material, the fibres being interwoven at least around the periphery of the cord to maintain the form thereof.

3. A fire resistant cabinet having an opening, a closure for said opening, a groove extending along the joint between the door and opening, a cushion in said groove for sealing the joint, the cushion comprising a loose resilient core of fibrous fireproof material and a tubular casing of similar material enclosing the core.

4. A fire resistant cabinet having an open ing, a closure for said opening, a groove extending along the joint between the door and opening, a cushion in said groove for sealing the joint, the cushion comprising a loose resilient core of fibrous fireproof material, a tubular casing of similar material enclosing the core and retaining means having an inturned edge for holding the cushion in the groove.

5. A fire resistant cabinet having an opening, a closure for said openingand a cushion arranged to be contacted by said closure for sealing the joint around the opening, said cushion comprising a core of loose asbestos fibres within a casing ofwoven asbestos.

Signed by me atMohawk, N. Y., this 24th day of January 1922.

ENOGH HNSTRAND. 

